Spiegel: German government intends to distance itself from Bundestag`s resolution on Armenian Genocide

ArmInfo. The German government is going to make a "political gesture" towards Ankara, distancing itself from the Bundestag's resolution that describes the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide, Spiegel-online reports, citing its own sources.

According to Spiegel-online, the German Foreign Office and the German Federal Chancellery agreed that Steffen Seibert, German Government Spokesperson, will make a statement for media, saying that the resolution "is not binding for the government", but it is "a political statement of Bundestag with no legal significance".

Berlin expects that instead Turkey will let the German lawmakers into Incirlik airbase.

To note, on June 22 German media outlets reported that Turkey did not let the German delegation into the territory of Incirlik base due to the Bundestag's June 2 resolution on the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire.

Turkish Foreign Minster Mevlut Cavusoglu, in turn, said that the Ankara government would allow a German delegation to visit the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey "if Germany takes the necessary steps." Cavusoglu added that those who try to "manipulate" Turkish history "in an unfair manner," would not receive permission to visit the facility, where German troops, six German surveillance jets, and a refueling tanker are part of the US-led coalition fighting "Islamic State" (IS) militants.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier responded to his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu's statement. According to Deutsche Welle, Steinmeier threatened to quit Bundeswehr's participation in the anti-ISIS international fight in Turkey if Ankara keeps hampering the German lawmakers' visits to the Incirlik airbase.

To note, German Bundestag adopted on June 2 the resolution on Armenian Genocide by a vast majority of votes. Only one parliamentarian voted against and another abstained from voting. The resolution recognizes not only the fact of Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in the beginning of the 20th century but also Germany's responsibility for these events. The ambassadors of Armenia and Turkey were present at the hearings in Bundestag. However Chancellor Angela Merkel, Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel and Foreign Minister Frank- Walter Steinmeier were not present at the hearings. Deputy Government Spokesperson Christiane Wirtz stated that Merkel supports the resolution. Turkey, in its turn, has warned Berlin on the level of first ranking officials against the possible negative consequences for the Turkish-German relations in case the resolution was adopted. Ankara recalled its Ambassador to Germany Avni Karslioglu following the adoption of the resolution.